Tell Leaders: Prioritize Climate and the Environment in the NYS Budget!

Prioritize the Environment in NYS Budget

Dear Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart Cousins and Assembly Speaker Heastie, I am extremely concerned about New York’s environment and the growing importance for our State to be a climate leader on the global stage. With political chaos at the federal level it is essential that NYS does all it can to adhere to our climate laws and protect our air and water. Your continued leadership in addressing the climate crisis will be a beacon of hope for the rest of the nation, in stark contrast to the cynical dismantling of democracy in Washington, including the erosion of foundational environmental laws. From an environmental perspective it is imperative that you include these elements in your final budget: 1) Pass NY HEAT - This key policy will help make energy more affordable in New York as our climate law requires us to transition to a carbon neutral society by 2050. Despite misinformation campaigns — this bill will not prematurely remove gas service from utilities, but instead give our energy providers the opportunity to expand thermal energy networks and all electric options, where the new technology is currently stifled by our existing public service laws. This legislation would save rate payers hundreds of millions of dollars by not having to pay for new unnecessary fossil fuel infrastructure, and ensuring that those most in need have their energy costs capped at 6% of their annual income. 2) Increase the Environmental Protection Fund to $500 million - New York’s critical environmental programs depend on this money for open space acquisition, farmland and habitat protection, drinking water infrastructure and waste reduction. These projects are proven economic generators and job creators in communities that have the most environmental protection needs. 3) Fund the Clean Water Infrastructure Act to at least $600 Million - The New York State DEC and DOH estimate that we will need approximately $90 billion over the next 20 years to upgrade and maintain wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. This essential program repairs failing sewage and drinking water infrastructure, funds source water protection, remediates and replaces contaminated drinking water, and more. 4) Expand Rebate Programs for Residential Solar, Battery Storage, Geothermal Heating and Cooling, and Electric Vehicles State mandated tax credits and rebates for residential renewable energy installations are a valuable decarbonization strategy, as this modest public investment in climate solutions results in significant matching private investment. But they do little good if they are too low or are not useful to middle income people who cannot take advantage of the tax break. These reforms will increase solar and geothermal energy credits to $10,000, the used EV credit to $2000 and make all available as a rebate to low to middle income households. This will be much needed as green federal tax credits may be disappearing. 5) Advance NY’s ‘Cap and Invest’ program to derive our climate transition - In January 2025, the NYS DEC and NYSERDA were ready to move forward with a program that would have established a sector-wide limit on pollution, created a credit-based financial incentive for polluting businesses to reduce emissions, and reinvested the revenues back into disadvantaged communities and decarbonization initiatives across New York. The regulations for the program were set to be finalized in the first half of 2025 and credit auctions were planned for the second half of fiscal year 2026, with a projected revenue of $1.5 billion. But instead the program was put on ice indefinitely. We ask that the program and this timeline be reestablished in the budget so that NY can ensure affordability during the clean energy transition. I urge the Legislature and Governor Hochul to reclaim the mantle of climate justice and advance the ‘Cap and Invest’ program and NY HEAT ACT in the FY 2026 Budget. Our families and future cannot afford otherwise.